[Experimental study on an adriamycin-aluminum complex modified anticancer agent]

We produced the chelated Adriamycin-Aluminum complex (ADM-Al complex) for experimented evaluation. Human gastric cancer was transplanted into nude mice divided into 4 groups for drug injections; 1) Control (0.9% NaCl), 2) Al acetate (1 mg/ml), 3) ADM only (1 mg/ml) and 4) ADM-Al complex (ADM 1 mg/ml + Al 1 mg/ml), 0.2 ml of each was administered through several injections simultaneously into the tumor periphery. Long term retention of ADM in the tumor was observed pathologically in Group 4. The concentration (microgram/g) of ADM after injection (5, 7, 28 days) was 22.3, 12.6, and 3.5 in Group 4, against 8.4, 2.0, and 0.0 in Group 3 (p less than 0.01). The estimated tumor weight inhibition rate was 66.6% in Group 4, compared with 21.4% in Group 3, and only 3% in Group 2. DNA tritium thymidine uptake inhibition rate was 43.8% in Group 4, compared with 21.2% in Group 3, and in 9.4% Group 2. No side-effect due to Al-chelation was observed. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of ADM-Al complex as a topical anticancer agent. Clinical use must be explored.